3/22/2014
Hagerstown Speedway
Mason Zeigler scores first Late Model victory at Hagerstown Speedway
by Bob Vores
HAGERSTOWN, MD. – Residing in south western Pennsylvania and already racing in six states besides PA with the NDRL in 2014, Mason Zeigler of Chalk Hill made his 12th race, at Hagerstown Speedway, his first victory of the season and first ever at Hagerstown.
Zeigler, who started on the outside pole of the Late Model feature following a four car inversion, took the lead on the start and led all 25 laps. Following a restart with six laps to go, Zeigler was feeling the pressure from Jason Covert but able to hold him off and get to the finish with two lengths to the good. .
“I wish I could have come from back in the field to win it, but I knew Covert was behind me,” Zeigler said. “I didn’t know how close he was. To be able to hold him off; I know he’s pretty good here. It made me feel pretty good. I think we have to do a little bit better to be as good as Eckert last week. We have something to work with now. We made some changes from last week and it seems to have paid off.”
For the second straight Saturday evening, it again was the best day of the week for co-promoters Ernie Davis and Rick Jones of Dirt Capitol LLC. Following defending Late Model Sportsman champion, Justin Weaver of nearby Williamsport, scoring that win by just over a second ahead of Scott Palmer, back to back winners included Mike Corbin, of Winchester, in the K.Lynn Management LLC Pure Stocks, Greencastle, PA’s Kenny Thomas in the Mason Dixon Auto Auction Hobby Stocks and Ft. Loudon, PA’s Ryan Laye in the Cochran Auctioneer’s Four Cylinders. Thomas and Laye are also their division’s defending champions.
Zeigler quickly pulled to the front as sixth starting Dominic Defino, involved in a first turn incident last week, pulled into second and started to give chase. Zeigler began to pull away and when Jamie Lathroum rolled to a stop on lap eight, Zeigler was more than three seconds ahead.
On the restart, Covert, who initially started ninth, was to fifth and disposed of Dylan Yoder, CS Fitzgerald and Defino to move into the runner up spot on lap 11.
Covert reeled in Zeigler and didn’t allow any room for the slightest miscue as he trailed no further than three lengths until a 19th lap caution when Trevor Feathers came to a stop.
On the restart, Zeigler chose the outside in the double file restart with Covert not allowing him to escape. Defino, lost out on the restart and lost a number of positions as Fitzgerald, Jim Yoder and Kenny Moreland advanced. The pair pulled away from Fitzgerald by nearly five seconds at the finish.
Yoder came all the way from 20th and was the Sharrett Collision Center hard charger. Pole sitter Brian Tavenner ended sixth with Moreland, Dylan Yoder from 13th, Steve Axtell, from 18th, and Jake Jones completing the top ten.
“I actually watched Covert last week and he was able to keep his momentum in the heat races in one and two,” Zeigler said. “I figured I’d take the outside and go with it and figured we’d stay there. It feels good to finally win one this year.”
Following Weaver and Scott Palmer winning the Late Model Sportsman heat races, they started on the front row with a two car inversion. Following an initial turn one incident that involved both second row runners, Terry Flaherty and Chris Fletcher, Weaver powered into the lead over Palmer, Chad Myers, Jonathan DeHaven Jr. who won the previous week and Kyle Lee, who started tenth.
Following an eighth lap restart, De Haven took third from Myers and them attempted to steal second, but Palmer battled back. The two exchanged positions various times during the closing laps but Palmer was able to prevail in the runner up spot.
“I could definitely carry the throttle to the inside there,’ Weaver said.”I was using a little bit of the banking to carry some momentum. It definitely worked out.”
DeHaven held off Myers by a half-length with Lee ending fifth.
Chris Ebersole grabbed the Pure Stock lead over Danny Farlling but after starting seventh, Mike Corbin was to the front and took command on the second lap. Following a fourth lap yellow, Corbin kept pulling away from Ebersole who started smoking just after taking the white flag and pulled pit side as Wayne Hawbaker ended the runner up more than 11 seconds behind.
Brian Neff took the lead from Gary Proctor after one lap of the Hobby Stock feature but Jamie Mills came from ninth to take over on the fourth lap. He and Neff battled while Kenny Thomas arrived from seventh and went around the outside of Neff to take over on lap eight. Neff didn’t give up easily as he retook the point on lap ten but Thomas again charged ahead and went on to win by three lengths over Neff and Mills.
Michael Warrenfeltz led the Four Cylinders for two laps before Ryan Laye and Kevin Thomas drove past. Thomas began to close the gap each lap until close enough to make a bid for the lead on lap ten. Laye got up on the wheel and pulled away to a four length lead at the checkered with Gary Newell ending third.
Follow the speedway on Twitter and Facebook at Dirt Capitol LLC. The latest news, results, photos, schedule or rule changes can found be on the speedway’s website: www.hagerstownspeedway.com. Also check the website for any changes in weather conditions that may delay or cancel the program or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.
HAGERSTOWN SPEEDWAY/DIRT CAPITOL LLC RESULTS
LATE MODELS: 25 Laps: 1. Maxon Zeigler, 2. Jason Covert, 3. C.S. Fitzgerald, 4. Jim Yoder (Sharrett Collision Hard Charger), 5. Kenny Moreland, 6. Brian Tavenner, 7. Dylan Yoder, 8. Steve Axtel Jr.,9. Roy Deese Jr., 10. Jake Jones, 11. D.J.Myers, 12. Marvin Winters, 13. Tim Wilson, 14. Dominic Defino, 15. Nick Dickson, 16. Andy Haus, 17. Matt Cosner, 18. Justin Kann, 19. Mike Lupfer, 20. Trevor Feathers, 21. Mike Altobelli Jr. 22. Matt Parks, 23. Nathan Durboraw, 24. Jamie Lathroum: DNQ- Luke Hoffner, Chad Hollenbeck, Jason Miller, Chaz Walls, Dan Stone, Travis Wilson, Pancho Lawler, Jim McBee
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN, 20 Laps: 1.Justin Weaver, 2.Scott Palmer, 3.Jonathan DeHaven Jr. 4.Chad Myers, 5.Kyle Lee, 6.Terry Flaherty, 7.Paul Cursey, 8.Andy Fries, 9.Keith Walls, 10.Steve Lowery, 11.Taylor Farlling, 12.Mike Walls, 13.Scott Cline, 14.Elwood Sord, 15.Chris Fletcher, 16.Eddie Cornett, 17.Donnie Farlling
K. LYNN MANAGEMENT LLC PURE STOCKS, 15 Laps: 1.Mike Corbin, 2.Wayne Hawbaker, 3.Nick Dibella, 4.Mike Kratovil 5.R.T.Troutman, 6.Chris Ebersole, 7.Danny Farlling, 8.Tony Catlett, 9.Frank Dibella
MASON DIXON AUTO AUCTION HOBBY STOCKS, 15 Laps: 1.Kenny Thomas, 2.Brian Neff, 3.James Mills, 4.Dylan Welsh, 5.Justin Hansberger, 6.Gary Proctor, 7.William Crook,8.Paul Armstrong, 9.Joe Rodgers, 10.Tom Caravello
COCHRAN AUCTIONEERS FOUR CYLINDERS, 15 Laps, 1.Ryan Laye, 2.Kevin Thomas, 3.Michael Warrenfeltz, 4.Michael Warrenfeltz, 5.Bill Kessler
Article Credit: Bob Vores
Submitted By: Josh Fries
